Fitness Advice

[Afterbirth]

In February, I started working out and dieting. I was 145 lbs and worked out all the time, and I ate six meals a day but completely cut out processed foods. I quickly dropped down to 123 lbs and everyone around me accused me of not eating, or being sick. I gained no body definition whatsoever, despite my workouts. I've recently went back to eating processed foods and have gotten back up to 129. I'm 5'8 and all I have ever wanted was to have a defined stomach. I just don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have like no fat on me, just extra skin from where the fat used to be. My roommate is the same height, just as skinny, but is 145 and much more toned. We eat the same diet and do the same routine. I'm at a complete loss. Please, any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[8tomtoms8]

There is A LOT involved in building muscle and getting defined. One thing I learned was your muscles need time to recover and grow. This happens when you sleep. Also, you really need a workout program. ie lifting the correct amount of weight, the correct nimber of times with specific rest periods in between. You also have to change your lifting routine often, what they call muscle confusion.

Eating often is good but when you eat and what you eat is also essential. It sounds like you are a hard gainer as I am. I used to do tons of pushups, situps, etc and never gained an ounce. I finally got tired of looking skinny and hired a personal trainer. I had eight sessions with him and learned what to do. It was the best $480.00 I ever spent. I now have nice abs, a defined chest, bigger bi and triceps, etc. I also learned how to train and now I learn a lot from Youtube.

BTW, I never joined a gym. I do it all at home with a few free weights.

Find a trainer and you'll get somewhere. Good luck!!!

 

[KaraBulut]

Can you post a torso picture?

 

[Afterbirth]

Not the best picture, but the only one I currently have

 

[KaraBulut]

Not the best picture but it does help.

The issue is that you have naturally lean muscle tissue. A lot of what we think of as "muscle" is actually a combination of fat and connective tissue and not just muscle fibers. Your muscle tissue is very lean and it makes the muscles look very flat- much like long distance runners.

The problem is that you can't bulk and cut at the same time. For your body, you're going to have to focus more on bulking up. You have to cut down on and delay aerobic exercise and fat reduction until you build up those muscles. You can still do a moderate amount of things like walking and treadmill for warmup and cardiac health but it needs to be lower intensity.

The answer for you is to work to find what makes your muscles respond in a way that it triggers them to add bulk. It may be that you need to do higher reps with a moderate weight or it may be that lower reps with maxed out weight is what triggers your muscles to grow.

But the biggest thing- you need to eat. You will not be able to diet and be overly lean for a while. You're going to have to really feed your muscles with protein and carbohydrate and workout very hard. If you're working out and really pushing yourself, you won't get fat but you're going to have to accept that it will be a while before you have the excessively "cut" look that you want to see.

The good news for guys like you- and guys like BlackHoleSun and codeerror (who have threads in the Fitness sticky in this forum) is that a pound of muscle on you will look like 5 pounds of muscle on a guy with a normal frame. You have to work harder to get that 1 pound but once you do, people will notice.

 

[Afterbirth]

Thanks for the advice. I've been reading Code's thread forever now, and am very jealous, haha. So while I'm eating more (and does it matter what I eat? Just high in protein stuff like chicken/fish?) should I still be lifting and working my abs?

 

[KaraBulut]

Thanks for the advice. I've been reading Code's thread forever now, and am very jealous, haha. So while I'm eating more (and does it matter what I eat? Just high in protein stuff like chicken/fish?) should I still be lifting and working my abs?

Yes, yes and yes.

You should eat regular meals and in-between snacks. Protein snacks are a good choice.

Start with general lifting routines and core exercises. As you start building strength, move to rotational routines that focus on different areas on different days of the week.

 

[AverageJoe]

Lift weights and...
EAT EAT EAT EAT EAT